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MONAHANS, TEXAS
"The Oasis
of the West Texas Desert"
Ward
County Seat, West Texas
31° 35' 16" N, 102° 53' 26" W (31.587778, -102.890556)
I-20 and Hwy 18
36 miles W of Odessa
26 miles E of Pecos
51 miles N of Fort
Stockton
About 106 Miles S of Lovington, New Mexico
Population: 7,638 est. (2016)
6,953 (2010) 6,821 (2000) 8,101 (1990)
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Welcome
to Monahans
TE photo |
History in
a Pecan Shell
In gratitude for
digging the first water well in the vicinity (1881), the community
was named for Thomas John (Pat) Monahan but was first known as Monahan’s
Well. Things got started with the arrival of the Texas and Pacific
Railroad in August of the same year and two years later a post office
was granted.
Although it had a railroad connection, few people stopped. It wasn’t
until 1900 when the first hotel opened – two years after the first
school.
By 1905 the community finally could report eighty-nine residents and
five years later it had increased to nearly 400. But after that growth
slowed until the West Texas
Oil Boom of the mid 1920s.
Monahans incorporated in 1928 and the demand of supplies for the oil
industry added another rail connection in 1929. The Texas-Mexico Railroad
ran a line from Lovington, New Mexico – a distance of about 100 miles,
passing through Hobbs, New Mexico and Kermit,
Texas.
The 1930 population was just over 800 and unlike most of the country,
Monahans experienced a boom through the Great Depression.
By 1938 Monahans replaced Barstow
as the county seat and two years later the town could boast of having
nearly 4,000 residents. By 1950 it had increased to 6,300 and peaked
in 1960 with 8,567. (See Monahans
in the 1950s) It floated just below that figure for decades, but
the 2000 census reported a drop to 6,821. |
Monahans, Texas
Landmarks & Attractions
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Monahans
Sandhills State Park
One of the most interesting arboreal oddities in the United States.
5 miles East of Monahans
The Largest Oak Forest in North America
In Quercus
Veritas by Mike Cox
"Most visitors come to the state park at Monahans to play on
the acres of Sahara-like sand dunes rising as high as 70 feet, not
to see the Havard oaks. However, for those who are interested, the
“forest” is readily accessible from the paved roadway that winds through
the park... more."
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"This
is my brother (seated) and me. Murray's Hardware can be seen across
the street. Its probably Main Street in Monahans. The date on the
pic is 1954. Obviously a hot west Texas afternoon."
- Rex
Parsons |
Monahans
Tourist Information
Monahans Chamber of Commerce: 432-943-2187
Website: www.monahans.org
Book Hotel Here › Monahans
Hotels |
1920s Ward
County Map showing Monahans
Courtesy Texas General Land Office |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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